"Multiple sources are reporting tonight that the Milwaukee Brewers have submitted a winning $2.5 million bid to negotiate with Norichika Aoki, a three-time Japanese batting champion who plays for the Yakult Swallows of the Central League.

The news was originally broken in Japan by Yasuko Yanagita of Hochi Shimbun. Here's what I could find on that -- excuse the translation, which was provided by Google.

I put a call in to Brewers general manager Doug Melvin on this earlier this evening, but have yet to hear back. I'll update on here, of course, if and when I do. The Brewers have made no announcements on Aoki to this point.

By posting the winning bid, Milwaukee now has 30 days to negotiate a contract with the left-handed Aoki, who hit .292 with four home runs for Yakult this past season. In 2010, Aoki hit a career-best .358 with 209 hits."